Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A delegation of nine deaf students and three deaf high school teachers from the Texas School for the Deaf, US, visited Indore from March 10 to March 12. The group toured the Indore Deaf Bilingual Academy (Mook Badhir Sangathan), explored the city and experienced Indian culture and cuisine.
During their visit, the Texas students interacted with local students and shared insights about their culture, education, work opportunities and future plans. They also explained how they communicate with their families and in social settings using American Sign Language (ASL) and written English in their daily lives.
The students highlighted several aspects of deaf education in the United States. They said American Sign Language is an essential part of education for all deaf students, regardless of whether they primarily use sign language or have cochlear implants. They also noted that many teachers in deaf schools in the United States are themselves deaf and teach a wide range of subjects.
The delegation also discussed the Parent Infant Program (PIP), conducted across US states when a deaf child is around 18 months old. Through the programme, deaf infants and their parents attend training sessions led by adult Deaf mentors to learn and develop sign language skills early in life.
Teachers Jennifer, Sean and Nicole praised the students in Indore for their warmth, discipline and welcoming nature. They expressed strong support for bilingual education in the United States and said they were delighted to see India’s first bilingual school for deaf students founded by deaf leaders Dr Usha and Rajkumar Punjabi.
As part of the cultural exchange, students of the Indore Deaf Bilingual Academy dressed the visiting Texas students in traditional Indian attire, including sarees and kurtas. The visitors also enjoyed popular Indian dishes such as samosas, biryani and sweets.
The visit highlighted an enriching cultural and educational exchange between Deaf communities in the United States and India, said Murlidhar Dhamani and Rajkumar Punjabi.
